Wednesday, March 4, 2009

QUICK PILLOWCASE TUTORIAL

Need a quick but lovely gift or just need new pillowcases for your own home? It's quick, fun and easy to make a pillowcase. Here's an informal tutorial I put together tonight. Hope you find it useful! Excuse the photos because it is late. Jason will probably re-do them anyway.

First find two fabrics you love that look good together. The following measurements make a standard size pillowcase. You can adjust the measurements for any size pillow. For the standard pillowcase I made for this tutorial, you will need 3/4 yard for the body of the pillowcase and 1/4 yard for the cuff. I used the Sweet line from Moda. For the cuff of the pillowcase I chose the red dot and for the body of the pillowcase I chose the Sweet "Sassy" fabric with big red roses....pretty! (If you would like a kit for a pillowcase, check our website or Etsy store. www.44thstreetfabric.com or http://44thstreetfabric.etsy.com We will kit up any fabrics you like.

You will need a strip 8.5" by 44" (selvage to selvage) for the cuff of the pillowcase and a strip 26.5" by 44" (selvage to selvage) for the body of the pillowcase. Cut those two strips and iron.

Now fold the cuff (red dot) in half and iron. You will have a doubled strip 4.25" by 44" wide.

With the raw edges of the cuff on the raw edge of the pillowcase body, sew with a 1/4" seam.

Those of you lucky enough to have a serger can serge these together. I just sewed mine. If you are sewing it, go back now and zig-zag the edges, inside the seam line, to give you a finished edge. Be sure and do this with all the seams in your pillowcase. I've made a ton of these and they wash great and wear forever because of this step.

Iron the seam toward the body of the pillowcase and topstitch it down with a coordinating thread.

This is how it will look.

Next sew (again with a 1/4" seam), the long edge of the pillowcase. At the point where the cuff meets (raw edge to raw edge) is where I pin to make sure the seams are even. It's actually the only place I pin. Be sure to sew forward and back a few times at the edge to lock the stitches in place.

Be sure to remember to zig-zag or serge the edges. After stitching the long side of the pillowcase, stitch the end of the pillowcase closed with a 1/4" seam and finish the edges.

You have now finished your pillowcase! Just iron and use or wrap as a gift! Children really love these pillowcases made in holiday or theme fabric. I've made them from dinosaur fabric, Disney fabric, fabric with trucks, fabric with fairies, puppies and more. I hope you enjoy this little tutorial.

I have made several Christmas gifts from this tutorial- thank you! One note regarding measurements- Fabric is sold by the "running" yard. It is measure lengthwise, not width-wise. While a yard of fabric is 36 inches long, the fabric on a bolt of cloth can vary from 32 to 60 inches in width. The most common widths are 45 and 60 inches... I have run into several fabrics at home purchased by the yard that are only 42 inches. In those cases I adjusted both the body and the cuff to 42 inches in length and the pillowcases worked just fine on all our standard pillows. Thanks again!!

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To All My Dogs Who Have Gone On Before Me

"The moment that you left me,my heart was split in two;one side was filled withmemories; the other sidedied with you.I often lay awake at night whenthe world is fast asleep;and take a walk down memorylane with tears upon my cheek.Remembering you is easy,I do it every day;but missing you is a heartachethat never goes away.I hold you tightly within my heartand there you will remain;you see, life has gone onwithout you, but will never bethe same". Blair Robertson

An Important Personal Message

My dear friends - Have you noticed that the world seems to be getting more and more evil and corrupt? Have you ever wondered, assuming that Revelations is true, where we are time-wise and what will happen in the last days? At the bottom of this page, there is a 7 minute video that has no narration, just Bible facts about the sequence of events and where we might be. Of course, some of you won't think this is important, some of you might look at the video to see what the Bible does say and some of you may be offended and unfollow me. I personally believe that time is short. We are at 30 seconds to midnight. Things are coming this year that will affect the USA. Watch or not. I mean no offense. If I believe there is something to warn you about and I don't do it, I will be held accountable. I care about what happens to all of us. In love!

MY BLOSSOM

My cute, spunky little buddy!

Yes, yes it is...

Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love. They depart to teach us about loss.